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Oct 12, 2022 06:00am

The Blessing in Your Blindspot

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You can’t see it.
That’s why it’s called a blindspot.
And we all have one; at least one.

I’m starting to recognize the reality of blindspots more and more as I study God’s word and walk with His people. I have been a Christian since I was seven years old. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve missed church in the last decade. I’m a church girl. I’m a Bible girl. I’m a Jesus girl.

And I still have blindspots.

There are truths about myself, complexities about circumstances and realities about God and what he is doing that I have trouble seeing. And I think I have the most trouble when life is too fast and too frenzied or when things have gone awry. Fog settles over my mind and confuses my heart when the unexpected happens and when disappointments occur. When things aren’t going my way or when days are just — hard — spiritual clarity becomes elusive.

Is it possible, then, that blindspots are most likely present when we are in a difficult season? I think so. But, again, by their nature, blindpsots are well…likely to remain unnoticed.

Do you know the story in the Bible about the night Jesus fell asleep in the boat? He was exhausted. He had been in that same boat for hours prior to nightfall teaching multitudes of needy people. They had so “cornered” him, that he had to get in the boat and push out from the shore just to have space to work. When he finally wrapped up for the day, he informed his closest followers that he wanted to cross the sea and visit another town, so they headed out.

Note: it was Jesus’ idea. They trusted him, they literally followed him everywhere and so they started rowing.

And then dark, ugly clouds began to form overhead.
And the wind picked up.
And before they knew it, a storm ensued. A very bad storm.
A storm so bad these experienced fishermen were completely soaked by the waves, overcome by the winds and powerless to guide the boat to safety. They were stuck in a situation that threatened their lives, literally rocked their boat and caused anxiety to nearly send them into full blown panic. This was not a casual, non-emotional scene.

This was a disaster.

Been there?

Maybe you are in that familiar place now?
Sometimes life has come at you hard and fast and overthrown your plans. You thought you knew it would be safe and secure and that God would take you where you just knew he had asked you to go. Afterall, it sure seemed like it was his idea. And you trust him.

You trusted him.

But now if you are honest, you feel stuck. Your anxiety is a mounting problem and maybe there are days when your emotions shift into overdrive and you feel like complete devastation is waiting over the horizon.

And it’s scary.

The men in that boat were scared to death, too. Literally, they thought they would die that night.

I don’t know how many minutes went by. I wish the Bible told us the timeline from the start of this storm and their unraveling until the moment, “they” wake Jesus. We don’t even get to know who “they” were, but someone finally recognized what all of them had been struggling to see; the man in the stern of the boat, completely at ease and catching up on some much needed rest was the complete answer to their looming and “certain” doom. In a three word sentence, “Peace be still,” Jesus ends the chaos. Amazing. I mean, that alone deserves a full stop.

But, what continues to strike me, is that it must have taken some time for them to go to him, because Jesus says to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Notice what he doesn’t say, “Gee, guys, I’m so sorry I fell asleep. My bad. Totally could have spared you of that.” No.

I think Jesus was addressing their blindspot.

We know this group, this team, had heard him teach, had seen him perform miracles, had watched his popularity grow, had personally experienced his love and grace and yet, they were still blind to HIS PRESENCE.

The creator of the seas was in their boat!

He was in the middle of the storm WITH them.
Right there.
Willing.
Able.

JESUS. WAS. IN. THE. BOAT.

And guess what, believer?

He is in your boat, too.
He is in the middle of your storm, too.
Right there.
Willing.
Able.

The blessing of his presence may be living in your blindspot. So, no matter what you are facing today, or what you will face tomorrow, no matter how rough the waters are or how rough they become, if you belong to Jesus, clear your spiritual eyes and see HIM there. He is with you.